Ranji Trophy final: Nabi puts J&K in lead position against K’taka
Mayank’s defiant 130* takes hosts to 220/5 at stumps on Day 3
Hubli (Karnataka): India’s latest pace sensation Aqib Nabi rocked Karnataka’s star-studded top-order with a sensational opening spell as Jammu and Kashmir took a vice-like grip on the Ranji Trophy final despite Mayank Agarwal’s defiant hundred here on Thursday.
At stumps on the third day, eight-time champions Karnataka were placed at 220 for five, trailing the visitors by 364 runs with Agarwal batting on 130 in the company of wicketkeeper Kruthik Krishna (27). Nabi ended the day with impressive figures of 3/32 in 14 overs.
This was after Jammu and Kashmir, riding on Shubham Pundir’s 121 in a collective batting effort, posted a mammoth first-innings total of 584 in their maiden Ranji final. Nabi, then, took centre stage. Jammu and Kashmir were in the box seat once they put up a huge first-innings total, and Nabi then left the Karnataka batters searching for answers.
The 28-year-old Nabi, who dominated the season with over 55 wickets in nine games going into the summit showdown, including a 12-wicket match haul (7/40 & 5/70) against Madhya Pradesh in the
quarter-final, got the ball to move away and nip back while also dishing out the occasional yorkers at a good pace.
Staking a claim for a place in the Indian team, Nabi landed the first big blow on Karnataka when he dismissed KL Rahul with a peach of a delivery. TV replays confirmed the edge, and
Dogra was vindicated in going upstairs at the insistence of his keeper and bowler, resulting in a massive moment in the game just three minute before lunch.
Pumped up, Nabi grabbed two more wickets of successive balls in the second session to put his team on top. But before Nabi’s double blow, left-arm seamer Sunil Kumar got the better of Karnataka captain Devdutt Padikkal.
Brief scores: Jammu & Kashmir 584 all out (Shubham Pundir 121, Yawer Hassan 88, Sahil Lotra 72, Kanhaiya Wadhawan 70, Paras Dogra 70; Prasidh Krishna 5-98) lead Karnataka 220/5 in 69 overs (Mayank Agarwal 130 not out, Kruthik Krishna 27 not out; Auqib Nabi Dar 3-32) by 364 runs.
